A Taste of Heritage

Drawing on the knowledge and wisdom of countless generations of Crow Indian women, the well-known speaker and teacher Alma Hogan Snell presents an indispensable guide to the traditional lore, culinary uses, and healing properties of native foods. A Taste of Heritage imparts the lore of ages along with the traditional Crow philosophy of healing and detailed practical advice for finding and harvesting plants: from the key to creating irresistible dishes of cattails and dandelions, salsify and Juneberries, antelope meat and buffalo hooves, to the secret of using plants to enhance beauty and incite love. Snell describes the age-old practice of turning wildflowers and garden plants into balms and remedies for such ailments and injuries as snakebite, headache, leg cramps, swollen joints, asthma, and sores. She brings to bear not only her lifetime of experience but also the invaluable lessons of her grandmother, the legendary medicine woman Pretty Shield. With life-enhancing recipes for everything from soups, teas, and breads to poultices, aphrodisiacs, and fertility aids, A Taste of Heritage is above all a fascinating cultural document certain to enrich the reader’s relationship with the natural world. A partial list of recipes: Wild Bitterroot SauceWild Carrot PuddingCattail BiscuitsDandelion SoupSalsify Oyster StewBalapia (Berry Pudding)Juneberry PieChokecherry CakeWild Mint TeaBitterberry LemonadeWheel BreadBoiled HoovesBill’s Mother’s Antelope RoastStuffed TroutElk RoastStuffed EggsOld-Time Moose RoastWild Turnip PorridgeWild Turnip BreadFresh Wild SaladBuffalo Cattail StewGround Tomato SaladGooseberry PuddingBearberry ButterSpicy Dried Plum CakeBuffaloberry Jelly